Tactics - When to overbet?
Eurosport - Fri, 21 Nov 10:40:00 2008
Have you just realised that you virtually never overbet the pot? So in what situations is overbetting good?
An overbet is a bet that is significantly larger than the current size of the pot in no-limit games.
Players who are bluffing may choose to overbet the pot in order to make it that much less likely that anyone would call.
If you are almost certain you have the worst hand and you are very confident that only a bet of this particular size will get your opponents to fold then the overbet is the proper amount to bluff.
When you bluff, you want to make sure that you are betting the smallest amount
necessary to guarantee that no other player will call.
Also players with a very strong hand may overbet the pot in order to make it seem as though they are bluffing or to make the maximum amount from a caller who is certain to call any bet, but is also certainly beaten.
Overbetting can be solid strategy if you are almost certain that you have the best hand and you are almost certain that one or more players will call your overbet as you make more money by betting more.
However, you must be extremely confident of both facts. If you are wrong about either one, you cost yourself a significant amount of money.
Overbetting aimlessly is poor strategy as any caller who could call a bet that is the size of the pot, could probably also call a bet that's twice the size of the pot.
If your bluff is going to succeed, it would succeed with the same frequency, but you would risk fewer chips.
And if you have an extremely strong hand and overbet the pot, you may scare out potential callers who could call smaller bets.
If you are guaranteed to win anyway, why not win more chips as you do so?
You can play no-limit perfectly well and virtually never overbet the pot. It's a tool that's useful sometimes but in those cases betting the pot is typically nearly as good.
But sometimes it's good to front load on the flop with an overbet so the big bets at the end don't look quite so big.
It's typically easier to get overbets in early to build the pot faster than it is to try to sneak them in late when that big bet will be just that much bigger.
Overbetting also tends to be more successful against loose players because they are more bet size-insensitive.
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Comment 1 - 5 of 5
thnx - all advice is a help in the king of games
Overbetting Advanced Tables
BLUFFING A GOOD PLAYER
A mini check raise bluff on the turn followed by a big over bet check raise bluff on the river, most of the time will scare your opponent's medium/drawing hands away. The key to an effective over bet with a poor hand is your ability to read the board and be consistent in your story telling. (A read on what your opponent thinks you have is key)
Reverse Bluffing (To looser players)
Occasionally, if you raised pre-flop & connected a strong hand, (well hidden) post flop e.g Trips or 2 pair, over bet for a reverse bluff. This makes your opponent think you are making a continuation bluff.... If called, check the turn and the river.... (If opponent bets turn, cold call then on the river.... Check Raise) when your are convinced that you have the upper hand. Again read the board and always ask what can your opponent call with ?..
To assess the strength of your opponent's hand, you need to play for at least 2-3 rounds pof the blind to gain a rough assessment on your opponent.
Play it straight forward with novice players
I think overbetting is a good strategy once you learn the behavior of lesser players at the table. In other words an overbet would almost always drive them off when they hold a medium hand with potential. On a more experience table it is probably a losing strategy.
I think the best overbetting is a good strategy once you learn the behavior of lesser players at the table. In other words an overbet would almost always drive them off with a medium hand. On a more experience table it is probably a losing strategy.
keep up man thx for the article!
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